


Day Forty-Nine || Play a Game

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [49]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 12:13:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17849255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: The last thing Sasuke wants to do is go to a birthday party. But at least he manages to find someone there he might just be able to call a friend.





	Day Forty-Nine || Play a Game

If there’s one thing Sasuke dreads, it’s play dates: his mother setting him up with other kids his age to try and encourage him to run around and...well, play. As sweet of a kid as he is, he’s still shy in some regards...and it doesn’t help that a loudmouth blond from school has declared himself his best friend. He’s just...a complete opposite from the quiet, reserved boy. 

He likes to play with his brother, sure - he’s comfortable with Itachi. They’ve known each other always. But Sasuke’s first few weeks of school have been a little...awkward. All of the other kids are strangers, and so many of them are too eager to wriggle themselves into his business.

So imagine his despair when his mother announces he’s been invited to a birthday party for none other than the loudmouth: Naruto, as he’s apparently called. Mikoto and Kushina were friends in high school, but until the former moved back into town with her sons, they’ve not had a chance to introduce their offspring. 

Kushina, like her son, is also...uncensored in her volume. Every time she and Naruto come over, it’s a double whammy of noise and ruckus.

And no matter how hard he tries, Sasuke can’t avoid the other boy. It’s like he has a radar set to his frequency!

“Mom, do I  _ have _ to go…?” he begs as they get into the car.

“Of course you do! Naruto’s your friend, isn’t he?”

Sasuke’s almost tempted to say no, just to avoid this...but something tells him his mother will see right through it. Or worse, scold him for being ‘mean’. “...I guess.”

“I’m sure you’ll have lots of fun! A whole bunch of your classmates have been invited, too - it’ll be a good way to get to know everyone better!”

He just groans as she straps him into his booster seat.

This is going to be the worst day  _ ever _ .

It’s a sunny October Saturday, and by the time they pull up to the proper yard, several other cars are parked around the block, kids yelling and shrieking. Sasuke stares out his window sullenly, awaiting to be released from the belt of his seat before leaving the vehicle behind.

Kushina waves and jogs to greet them, opening the gate and...releasing a dog that leaps eagerly at them. “Oi! Kurama! No! Down boy!”

The Shiba Inu ignores orders, bouncing and licking at Sasuke’s face and coating it with slobber. “Eugh…!”

Grabbing the canine’s collar, the Uzumaki smiles sheepishly. “Sorry! Last I looked he was over with Naruto! C’mon, we’ll wash you off in the house, Sasuke.”

By then, the other kids haven taken notice, all running over to greet them. “Sasuke!” Naruto crows in greeting, clearly ecstatic. 

“Everyone go back to the games - we’ll be right back! Kurama tried giving Sasuke a bath,” his mother replies, waving them away.

They step in and close the door, mostly adults in the house as the kids take over the yard. “Kurama claim another victim?” a blond man asks, grinning.

“Yeah, yeah - sorry again about that, Inoichi - he’s just so excited with all the little ones around…!” Kushina leads Sasuke to a bathroom, and it takes him a moment to realize his mother stayed behind with the other parents. But before he can protest, the redhead washes his face with a cloth. “Theeere we go! No more doggy spit! Now, you can scamper back out with the other kids, and -”

A knock at the door pauses her, opening it to reveal another child. “Oh! Hinata honey, how are you feeling?”

Pale eyes glance between her and Sasuke, clearly a bit unnerved. He vaguely recognizes her from class. “Um...a-a little better…”

“Well, do you want to head back outside yet?”

“I...was wondering if I could...have some water…?”

“Oh sure, sure! C’mon, honey -” Leading the way out, Kushina makes her way back to the kitchen, and Sasuke - having little choice - also follows. “You sure you don’t want something else? I’ve got some ginger ale - that’s good for upset tummies.”

“I-I don’t know if Dad would -”

“Oh, your dad’s not even here, he’ll never know,” Kushina cuts in, waving a hand. “If he wants you to feel better, he’ll let you have it. If he’s gonna get mad any anybody, he can get mad at me when he comes back to pick you up!” She hands the girl an opened soda can, and then looks to Sasuke. “What about you, sweetie?”

“Uh…” Glancing for his mother, Sasuke shrugs...and then receives his own can.

“I need to check on the games outside - you two come back out whenever you feel like it, okay?” And just like that, she disappears.

The pair watch her go before glancing to each other. “Uh...hi,” Sasuke greets, not wanting to be rude.

“Hi…”

“...does your tummy not feel good?”

“N...no…” The girl’s face flushes pink, clearly embarrassed. “I...I-I get nervous about s-stuff like...like this. So…”

“That’s okay - I know my mom says this stuff’s good for it, too.” And it’s one of the few sodas Sasuke actually likes: it’s a little bit bitter, not just loaded with sweet flavors like most. He carefully sips his own, trying to encourage her. 

She’s quiet, unlike most of their class. If they’re going to just stay in here with the adults, well...he personally doesn’t have a problem with that. She’s already better company than just about anyone he’d find out there.

Looking to the soda nervously, Hinata then glances around before taking a small sip.

“Does your dad not like soda?”

“No...he says it’s b-bad for you.”

“Well...it kinda is. But it’s okay to have sometimes.” Or, so says his mother. “Kinda like ice cream. You can’t have it all the time, or it’d make you sick.”

Hinata hums in agreement, taking another small swig. Apparently she likes it. “Did the dog lick you?”

“Yeah…”

“It got Ino, too. She screamed all the way to the bathroom!”

Rather than laugh, Sasuke just furrows his brow. “...really?” Yeah, it was gross, but not  _ that _ gross…

“Mhm. Sakura thought it was funny...but then the dog knocked her down.”

“That’s what she gets for laughing. Aren’t they s’posed to be friends?”

“I guess so…” Sip. “...do friends do that?”

“I dunno. I don’t really...have any. Except Naruto, I...guess.”

“Me neither.”

After a pause, Sasuke just asks, “You wanna be my friend?”

That makes her jolt a bit, almost spilling her drink. “M-me…?”

“Yeah, you seem nice.”

“Y...you, too. Um…o-okay…!”

It’s then Kushina calls from the door. “Okay guys, we’re starting up the games! Can you come outside?”

The little pair glance to each other...and then do as asked. “You feel okay now?”

“Um...a l-little better. I might sit out a bit, and keep my soda…”

“Okay.”

Kushina really went all out. Various stations are each a different kind of game: darts, bobbing for apples, ring toss, shooting a basketball into a hoop...and each get you a ticket when you win. Get enough tickets, and you can trade them for a goodie bag.

Hinata takes a seat on the back porch to watch, and Sasuke hesitantly looks to the fray. Kids are spread all over the yard, trying the different games and racking up tickets.

Well...no one said there was gonna be competition...and secretly? Sasuke  _ loves _ to compete. He sets his soda next to Hinata, asking her to watch it for him, before heading to the ring toss.

To his chagrin, Ino and Sakura quickly show up to watch.

Doing his best to ignore them, Sasuke concentrates before throwing. With five rings, you have to get ten points, different targets worth different points. Aiming for the five, he nails the first throw...misses...and then nails the second!

“Keep goin’, kiddo,” the man watching the station grins, hair tied up atop his head. “If you get two more, I’ll give you two tickets: how about that?”

The offer gives Sasuke an idea, so he nods...and does just that.

“Nice throwing!” He offers the tickets, Sasuke snatching them and moving to the next game. And so it goes, playing each until he gets two tickets. Only once he has two sets does he approach the prize table where Kushina waits.

“Well well, look at you!” she teases. “You’ve sure got a lot!”

“Can I have two bags, please?”

“Well, everyone’s supposed to get one…”

His head shakes. “I want one for her, please.” He points to Hinata, still sitting on the back step and sipping her soda.

Following his gesture, she blinks...and then grins. “Ahhh, I see. That’s awfully nice of you, Sasuke - here.” Accepting his tickets, she hands over both bags. “Go on and give it to her!”

Sasuke nods curtly, dashing across the yard with them tucked to his chest before sitting beside her. “Here.”

“Eh?”

“I got you a bag.”

Big eyes go even bigger. “You...you did…?”

“Just cuz you’re sick doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get one. I got two sets of tickets - one for you and one for me.”

Staring at the offering, Hinata almost looks like she’s going to cry. Sasuke  _ hates _ when girls cry…!

“T...thank you, Sasuke…”

“Well...you’re my friend now, so...yeah.” He hands it over, glancing aside with pursed lips. “Just...please don’t cry, okay?”

“O-okay…” Gingerly accepting, Hinata digs into the goodies, a small smile on her face.

Glancing back over, Sasuke can’t help doing the same.

The games keep on until later, when Kushina calls everyone over for dinner, cake, and then presents. Sasuke watches as Naruto tears into all the bags and boxes, including his own that hides a toy robot figure.

“Whoaaaa, cool! Thanks, Sasuke!”

By then, the party begins to wind down. Parents and kids start filtering out. But Hinata’s dad hadn’t stayed for the party...and seems to be late coming back.

“Come on, Sasuke - it’s getting late.”

Glancing between her and his mother, Sasuke jogs to the latter and tugs her sleeve. “Mom, Hinata’s dad isn’t here yet. Can we stay?”

“Oh, I’m sure Kushina will make sure she’s okay.”

“...but -?”

It’s then a car pulls up, a stern looking man emerging and scanning the yard. It’s only once he sees Hinata that he calls to her. “Come on, it’s time to go home.”

Deflating a bit, Hinata ducks her head, goodie bag tucked into her sweatshirt pocket.

“Wait!”

Pausing, she stumbles back a bit as Sasuke launches forward and gives her a hug. “S-Sasuke?!”

“...see you at school,” he mumbles, hanging on a moment longer before letting her go. 

She blinks...and then gives a small smile. “O-okay. Bye…”

“Bye.”

Her father waits impatiently at the car, Hinata crawling into a back seat before they take their leave.

Sasuke watches before looking to his mother, seeing her frown as she does the same. “...Mom…?”

“...come on Sasuke - it’s time we go home.”

As she buckles him in, he asks, “...do you know Hinata’s dad?”

“Yes, he and I were in school together, like with Kushina, and lots of other parents here today.”

“Is he...nice?”

Pausing, Mikoto sighs. “...he’s a very...particular man.”

“Par...ticular?”

“...I’ll tell you another time. But,” she adds, smiling. “I’m very glad you said goodbye to Hinata. Did you make a friend today playing games?”

“...yeah. I guess I did.”

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this one's late! I, like Hinata, had a bit of a tummy ache today that slowed me down...but! I got it done!
> 
> More smols! Which honestly? I need to write more of - lil innocent kiddie interactions are so much fun to write. As much as I love the actual romance of this ship when they're adults, I love the idea of them meeting and getting along as children, no matter the verse!
> 
> Anywhooo, that's all for tonight! Thanks for stopping by to read~


End file.
